April 12, 2004
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The 35th-ranked University of Notre Dame men’s tennis team posted a 6-1 road victory against #33 Florida State (10-11) Monday afternoon at the Scott Speicher Tennis Center. The Irish won the doubles point and all but one singles contest to finish the regular season with a 13-8 record. Senior tri-captain Luis Haddock (Caguas, P.R./Notre Dame H.S.) highlighted the victory with an upset of the nation’s 18th-ranked singles player. Notre Dame now will have a 16-day layoff before the BIG EAST Championship, scheduled for April 29-May 1 in Coral Gables, Fla.
Juggling the doubles lineup proved effective for the Irish, as they took a 1-0 lead after dropping the doubles point in the previous five matches. A pair of new combinations was victorious in the first two contests off the court to secure the point. Finishing first was senior Paul Hidaka (Tokyo, Japan/St. Mary’s International School) and freshman Ryan Keckley (South Bend, Ind./St. Joseph’s H.S.), who beat Joe Bassett and Chip Webb 8-6 at No. 3. The Irish pair had teamed together just once previously, winning at No. 1 against Illinois State in January.
At No. 2, junior tri-captain Brent D’Amico (Castle Rock, Colo./St. Stephen’s Episcopal School [TX]) and sophomore Eric Langenkamp (Scarsdale, N.Y./Scarsdale H.S.), playing together for the first time, defeated Mat Cloer and Jonathas Sucupira 8-5.
The nation’s 19th-ranked team, Jeff Groslimond and Chris Westerhof, was victorious at No. 1, topping Haddock and fellow senior tri-captain Matthew Scott (Oakton, Va./International School of Paris) 9-7. The Seminole team gained its 26th win of the season to set a school record.
The Irish won the first five matches off the court in singles to open up a 6-0 lead. First off was freshman Barry King (Dublin, Ireland/Gonzaga College), who beat Bassett 6-2, 6-1 for his third consecutive victory.
D’Amico put Notre Dame within a point of triumph by beating Webb 7-6 (7-1), 6-0 at No. 4.
Keckley provided the clincher for the second time in as many Irish wins, beating Joao Paolo Bounassar of Brazil 6-4, 6-4 at No. 6. The Irish freshman has won six of his last seven matches and is 13-7 on the season.
The remaining three matches were decided in three sets, with Notre Dame winning two of them. Haddock, ranked 93rd, finished his upset of 18th-ranked Cloer first. The 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 decision was the Irish senior’s fourth win over a ranked opponent in just over a month and his second against a top-20 foe. Haddock is 19-10 this season, including 11-5 in dual matches. He has won seven of his last eight.
Freshman Stephen Bass (Bronxville, N.Y./Iona Preparatory School) then topped Groslimond 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 at No. 3 to improve to 21-7, including 15-5 in dual matches. He has won eight of his last 10 and is 8-0 in three-set contests this season.
South African Westerhof then avoided the shutout by outlasting Scott 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 at No. 2.
The win was Notre Dame’s fourth this season against a higher-ranked team.
The match marked the first-ever trip to Tallahassee for the Irish, who have won two of three all-time meetings with FSU.
Florida State finished its regular season on a five-match losing streak.
#35 Notre Dame 6, #33 Florida State 1
Singles
No. 1 #93 Luis Haddock (ND) d. #18 Mat Cloer (FSU) 6-1, 2-6, 6-4
No. 2 Chris Westerhof (FSU) d. Matthew Scott (ND) 6-2, 3-6, 7-5
No. 3 Stephen Bass (ND) d. Jeff Groslimond (FSU) 1-6, 6-1, 6-3
No. 4 Brent D’Amico (ND) d. Chip Webb (FSU) 7-6 (7-1), 6-0
No. 5 Barry King (ND) d. Joe Bassett (FSU) 6-2, 6-1
No. 6 *Ryan Keckley (ND) d. Joao Paolo Bounassar (FSU) 6-4, 6-4
Order of finish: 5, 4, 6*, 1, 3, 2
Doubles
No. 1 #19 Groslimond/Westerhof (FSU) d. Haddock/Scott (ND) 9-7
No. 2 *D’Amico/Eric Langenkamp (ND) d. Cloer/Jonathas Sucupira (FSU) 8-5
No. 3 Paul Hidaka/Keckley (ND) d. Bassett/Webb (FSU) 8-6
Order of finish: 3, 2*, 1